Old Doctor Yuan saw that he wanted to believe but dared not believe, and knew this child was suffering.
Back then, after he got off work and was driving home, he encountered a car accident. The person in the passenger seat, bleeding from the head, looked at him.
Those eyes were filled with a desperate will to survive.
He called 120 and administered emergency measures, doing his best to protect the person until the ambulance arrived.
Fortunately, 120 arrived quickly, and the young man's life was saved. Unfortunately, both his legs could not be saved in the end.
He watched the young man lying silently on the hospital bed day after day, eating only when fed, his eyes vacant, and sighed.
Later, for some unknown reason, he heard from a nurse that someone had entered the patient's room and said something. But what was said, only those in the room would know.
From then on, the young man's颓废 (tuífèi - decadence/degeneration) changed. His eyes gradually regained their light. Although the light was the same as his previous颓废, he at least started eating by himself and cooperating with the doctors' treatment.
Originally, he and other doctors had discussed amputating his useless legs and fitting him with prosthetics, but he refused.
He sat halfway up in bed, clutching his motionless legs tightly with the quilt, his red eyes staring at everyone as if they were stained with blood, saying he would rather die than have his legs sawed off and that they should not entertain the idea.
They had no choice but to compromise.
And so, after staying in the hospital for nearly a month, the young man returned home in a wheelchair.
The next time he recognized this person was in the newspapers, in the casual conversations of people.
Wen Zhiyan, relying on his own abilities, had turned the Wen Corporation back from the brink of hell, making it renowned throughout the country and even gaining some recognition abroad.
“President Wen, congratulations. You can try to stand up from your wheelchair now.”
This news was undoubtedly a tremendous surprise to Wen Zhiyan, so much so that he couldn't believe his ears, wondering if he had misheard.
It turned out that heaven had not been unkind to him. Not only did it send a little fairy to guide him out of the darkness, but it also gave him the opportunity to pursue the little fairy.
“President Wen?”
Wen Zhiyan snapped back to attention, his voice somewhat hoarse, “Doctor Yuan, I hope today’s matter remains known only to us two.”
Those people had intended for him to die back then. Although he was only crippled and not dead, it did not mean they would not try to harm him again if they knew he might be able to stand.
As for him, he would face any conspiracy or scheme, any魑魅魍魉 (chīmèi wǎngliǎng - demons and monsters/evil forces).
What he feared was that if those people couldn't deal with him, they would turn their dirty tactics onto Miao Miao and An An.
Old Doctor Yuan was stunned for a moment, then sighed helplessly. In any other family, people would be shouting from the rooftops upon learning they could stand. But Wen Zhiyan, not only could he not announce it, but he had to keep it a secret.
“Don’t worry, without your permission, I definitely won’t tell anyone.”
“Thank you. I am indebted to your care for such a long time.”
Old Doctor Yuan sat back in his seat, “A doctor's compassion, this is what this old man should do. However, trying to hide this long-term isn't a solution. After all, to recover your legs faster, you will need professional training.”
“I know.”
As the words fell, a hearty male voice came from behind.
“Oh, has the sun risen from the west today? Why is Master Wen actively coming to the hospital again?”
Immediately after, a tall and slender figure walked in from the doorway.
The newcomer appeared to be in his twenties, wearing a white coat that made him look neat and possessed a certain scholarly elegance. But what drew more attention was his buzz cut and his clear, bright eyes.
“You child, how can you speak like that?” Old Doctor Yuan glared at the newcomer, then looked apologetically at Wen Zhiyan, “President Wen, please forgive Yuan Chao. He has this mischievous nature, don’t take it to heart.”
Yuan Chao: “……”
His grandfather probably didn't know that he had been forcibly woken up by a certain person's phone call in the middle of the night.
Suddenly, Old Doctor Yuan's eyes lit up, “Master Wen, I suddenly thought of a candidate to help with your recovery. Do you have any thoughts on this?”
Yuan Chao, who had excellent intuition, turned to leave upon hearing this but was called back by Old Doctor Yuan.
Yuan Chao looked at Wen Zhiyan, who had been silent all along, with a distressed expression. Then, he looked at his pitiless grandfather with tears in his eyes, “Grandpa, you can’t do this to me. I, I have very important things to do later.”
“Moreover, don’t you always say I’m frivolous and have no proper occupation?” Yuan Chao continued to persuade, “Asking someone like me, who has no proper occupation, to motivate Master Wen in his exercises, isn’t that making things difficult for Master Wen?”
“Master Wen, don’t you think so?”
From an angle where Old Doctor Yuan couldn't see, Yuan Chao pleaded with Wen Zhiyan.
Heaven and earth as witness, Wen Zhiyan, though appearing gentle and approachable, was actually more stubborn and unyielding than his grandfather, and he barely spoke a few words a day, like a mute.
If he had to be with him every day, wouldn’t he suffocate?
No, he’d rather die.
Wen Zhiyan looked at the winking Yuan Chao and said to Old Doctor Yuan, “Doctor Yuan is truly admirable. I’m sure Doctor Yuan Jr. is also very outstanding. To receive guidance from Doctor Yuan Jr. would be my good fortune.”
Yuan Chao: “……”
Heavens, earth, can a lightning bolt strike this person who is speaking nonsense?
“In that case, Yuan Chao, you will go and assist Master Wen with his rehabilitation surgery in a few days.”
“Rehabilitation surgery?” Upon hearing this, Yuan Chao's voice immediately rose, and he blurted out, “Even a rocket wouldn’t be this fast!”
He was sure that the nerve connection had only been a few days ago? And now they could proceed with rehabilitation surgery?
What? Aren’t they all human? Does Wen Zhiyan’s nerve cells come with a rocket engine?
“What nonsense are you saying.” Hearing this, Old Doctor Yuan wished he could slap his unfilial descendant, “This matter is to be kept secret. If anyone finds out, I’ll beat you so badly your parents wouldn’t recognize you.”
Yuan Chao was about to blurt out that Wen Zhiyan was perhaps afraid of being harmed again when he suddenly remembered past events and could only say, “You’re really quite tragic,” before shutting his mouth.
“Enough, if you continue, I’ll start suspecting you’re gloating,” Old Doctor Yuan rolled his eyes impatiently, “In short, this matter is settled.”
Yuan Chao casually found a place to sit down, spread his hands, and said pitifully, “Fine, fine, whatever you say. Anyway, compared to Master Wen, I’m just a dispensable cabbage, or rather, a brick, moved wherever I’m needed.”